Dentsu, 3 branch officers referred to prosecutors for overwork cases

It'll end up in suspended sentences - if it gets that far.

Dentsu, 3 branch officers referred to prosecutors for overwork cases

Good.

The ministry questioned Dentsu President Toshihiro Yamamoto on a voluntary basis Thursday over the allegations.

Why voluntary?  He's the president.  He's responsible.  I do hope, however, that the gov.  isn't just doing this to throw Dentsu under the bus.  The whole corporate culture needs to be examined and revamped.  It would be a shame if all this ended with Dentsu.

The move came after a 24-year-old employee of the company, Matsuri Takahashi, committed suicide due to overwork in December 2015.

Actually, I believe the move came after the media kept Takahashi's death in people's minds until Abe had to say something. I.e. Japan Inc couldn't ignore karoshi anymore. THEN the ministry started to act. If Dentsu had managed to pay off Takahashi's parents, they could continue business as usual; they couldn't, hence, the arrests. (Probably leading to a suspended sentence and a "warning" to obey the law.)

Meanwhile, Abe talks of strengthening "human resources". People do not exist for the sake of corporate profits, shareholder wealth, or economic growth. Life first.

As Willy Loman's (rather poorly constructed) metaphor goes, "You can't eat the orange, and throw the peel away - a man is not a piece of fruit."